Sierra Club Florida is a chapter of the Sierra Club made up of volunteer leaders and activists from all over the state. Its mission is to enjoy and protect the natural places in Florida, to teach others to understand and respect the fragile environment in which we live, and to practice and promote the responsible use of Florida’s ecosystems and resources. The strength of the Chapter comes from the efforts of local, grass-roots volunteers in the 16 Sierra Club Groups from Tallahassee to Miami and from Tampa to Orlando and West Palm Beach.

Sierra Club Florida Activity

March 7 is the date of the next Florida Chapter meeting. The Sierra Florida Executive Committee is hosting a chapter leader's meeting at the Circle B Bar Ranch in Lakeland, Florida on Saturday March 7, 2015 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sierra Group leaders from around the state are invited. Agenda items include: Review of Core Chapter & Group Functions, Leadership Team Effectiveness, Relationship Building, Where to Find Help/Training online and input into the Sierra Club Florida Calendar. Please RSVP BY February 28th, 2015 to Debbie Matthews at treehuggerdeb@gmail.com In the email, please state your full name, your Group name, your volunteer position and a telephone number where we can reach you. The Sierra Club Florida Executive Committee business meeting will be on Sunday at 9 AM at the same location. You are welcome to attend. For more information and suggestions for overnight accomodations, email Debbie.

The new issue of the Chapter newsletter, the Pelican, is available for download now from ourNewsletter page.

The state of Florida is moving to overturn a 20-year-old Florida Black Bear hunting ban. The Florida Black bear is one of the most beloved species in the state. This subspecies of the American black bear once roamed every corner of the state from Pensacola to the Florida Keys. From a high population of 12,000 to currently 3,000, the state’s largest mammal has been driven from most of its habitat. To protect the bear, the state legislature banned its hunting in 1994. However, in 2012, the state lifted the bear’s “threatened” status to open the door to hunting. The state Fish and Wildlife Commission is now holding hearings to open the ban. Without your help, Florida’s small black bear population could soon be hunted for sport.

Please take action today and demand the Fish and Wildlife Commissioners maintain the ban on bear hunting!1) Call the Fish and Wildlife Commissioners at 850-487-3796.2) Use the on-line form at: http://myfwc.com/contact/fwc-staff/senior-staff/contact-commissioners/

In Florida News

Biscayne National Park Hosts Climate Change on the South Florida Coastline:

On Sunday, February 22, 2015, Biscayne National Park hosted a talk by National Park Service researchers Dr. Erik Stabenau and Dr. David Rudnik titled Climate Change on the South Florida Coast: A Dialogue on Parks and Restoration. All over South Florida, local groups and governments are getting together to talk about sea level rise.

Rally in Tally

On February 18, more than 400 Floridians marched on Tallahassee to demand that the State of Florida protect its waters, buy the land promised by Amendment 1 and send water South to the Everglades. Read more about it on our Florida blog www.sierrafloridanews.org.

Sierra Club Florida offers a variety of outdoor experiences to both members and non-members of Sierra Club. Trips include canoeing, kayaking, hiking, bike-riding, back-packing, bird watching and many other activities. All trips have experienced, trained, certified leaders.

Each of Sierra Club Florida's regional groups offer outings from the Everglades to Tallahassee. Many trips are listed below. For more information, check with the group's website or attend a local meeting.